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Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Democrat Jack Kiser Pleads Guilty in Wise County Court

Jack Kiser, the former Wise County BOS member and Mayor of St Paul pleads guilty -

Jack Kiser pleaded guilty Tuesday to two misdemeanor charges relating to obstruction of justice and destruction of public records.

The former St. Paul mayor faces no jail time, though, thanks to a plea agreement reached with the Wise County Commonwealth Attorney’s office. For each count, Kiser will receive six months of supervised probation and a $1,000 fine. A sentence of 12 months in jail for each count was suspended under the plea agreement.

Kiser, 70, has served several terms as St. Paul mayor, Wise County supervisor and LENOWISCO Planning District Commission board member.

Kiser agreed to waive indictment and to proceed by “Information,” a legal term that refers to accusations or criminal charges brought by the public prosecutor without a grand jury indictment. According to the plea agreement, Kiser agrees to and pleads guilty to each misdemeanor criminal offense “because I am in fact guilty of the charges. I am stipulating that the Commonwealth has probable cause and substantial evidence of my guilt.”LINK

Commonwealth Attorney Ron Elkins has this -

Under a statement of information Elkins presented to the court, authorities charged that Kiser was guilty of the obstruction of justice charge by committing the following acts: • Instructing St. Paul police officers not to patrol certain areas of the town; • Releasing individuals from custody that were lawfully arrested and in the custody of the St. Paul police department; • Destroying summonses that were written and issued by St. Paul town police officers; • Attempting to stop a Virginia State Police investigation by offering to have a lawsuit against the town of St. Paul dropped; • Taking away the keys and denying St. Paul police officers access to the St. Paul town hall and evidence room; • Instructing town police officers to divert traffic around county and state law enforcement road checks; and • Instructing town police officers to "stay off the roads and stay in the town hall where they belonged." The destroying of public documents charge stemmed primarily from Kiser destroying speeding tickets issued by town police, Elkins said. The prosecutor said Kiser's conviction ended the work done by the St. Paul special grand jury. “We had a lot of complaints that were just petty things (and not illegal),” said Elkins. “This is it. It’s over with.”LINK

Indeed, I hope it is over. Kiser has been a dirty spot on the face of Wise County Politics and I wish him good riddance.